


one more time, with feeling

by pxrcival



Category: The Yogscast
Genre: Alternate Universe - Modern Setting, Alternate Universe - Teenagers, F/F, F/M, M/M
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2015-06-18
Updated: 2015-09-23
Packaged: 2018-04-05 01:15:09
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 3
Words: 6,727
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/4160067
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/pxrcival/pseuds/pxrcival
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>A great sin has been committed, and the slate must be wiped clean.</p><p> - ' - ' -</p><p>Ocean Skies, the town by the sea, is where Xephos and all of his friends grew up. Most of them have lived their entire life there, and as they enter the final year of high school, almost all of them are ready to leave. But strange things are happening, and as the truth begins to reveal itself, they begin to realize that all is not as it seems.</p><p>Even the greatest cover-up can have cracks. And when they're found, things will never be the same again.</p><p>{ probably a long fic, ships may change, rating may change, warnings will be added to tags and before every chapter if needed! }</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. prologue

**Author's Note:**

> it's like forgetting  
> the words to your favourite song  
> you can't believe it -  
> you were always singing along.
> 
> -eet, by regina spektor

_You are floating. Above you, the God flicks through the seconds, minutes, hours, worlds like they’re nothing. Beneath his fingers, they turn to what seems to be paper. At one, he pauses, pulls it out and inspects it. But beneath his fingers, it crumples. The God cocks his head to the side and sighs, frowning ever so slightly, then places it back into the file, but not before you see the slow spiral of smoke rising from it, above it._

_“ **What was it?”** You dare to ask. He looks up, sharply, eyes focusing on you with a precision you’re used to. It still makes you shiver- but not like it used to._

_“ **A side project. Nothing important.** ” He says, and you believe it, even though you swear you can just discern the screams of people now long dead. In this place, he’s told you, you can hear everything there is to hear, or simply nothing at all. It’s all in your head._

_The worlds stretch on above your heads, and you watch him work, sifting through them with an expertise that must’ve been learnt. He occasionally stops to inspect them, certain things apparently catching his eye. At one point, the God takes one look at a world and tears it into two clean halves before going back to his work. You don’t really want to think about what that means, so you don’t, instead deciding to distract yourself with more questions. He always answers those, after all, even if it’s not with the truth._

_“I **’ve never been here before.** ” You reach out, catching what seems to be a cream cloud between your fingers. It spasms then evaporates, turning to dark grey tendrils that tumble upwards into the sky. You laugh, because in the back of your mind something tells you that what you just did had never been done before by a mortal hand._

_“ **Watch what you’re doing.”** The God responds, looking briefly away from his mission to raise his eyebrows at you. He doesn’t look angry. In fact, he looks vaguely amused. “ **You just killed a king.** ”_

_You grin. “ **My mother always did tell me I was destined for greatness.** ”_

_He snorts, then goes back to his work, and your smile fades. Here you are, stood among the heavens, and you find yourself bored. He’s forbidden you from coming any closer, warning you that you’d probably ‘fuck everything up for him’ if you did. You’d agreed, because you thought it’d only take a few moments, but you’ve been here hours now, staring out across the dreary expanse of the afterlife, and your patience is growing thin._

_He must have sensed it, because his head tilts up once more, a world still trapped between his long fingers. He doesn’t say anything, so you cross your arms and try your hardest to look impatient. It’s probably childish, but you have your reasons, just as he has his._

_“ **You are a god!** ” You eventually call out, meeting his expressionless face with irritation you don’t really mean. “ **Can’t you just…God it up? Use your freaky magics!** ” You flail your hands to show him what you mean, weakly imitating things he’s done for you so many times before. This time, he doesn’t even smile, and you feel your stomach drop._

_“ **Demigod.** ” He corrects you. Then, in a movement you could only call ‘knife-like’, he stands. He seems so tall, framed by a throne made from the same cream cloud as before, and you shrink back. He blinks once, twice, movements clean and calculated, then slowly sits. The world is still in his hands, undamaged, and he gives it another look. Then, he flings it in your direction, the moment twirling and dancing in the air before coming to a rest a meter from your head._

_Not sure what else to do, you watch it with wide eyes. And you stay like that, transfixed, for what could’ve been hours. There’s no time here, he’s told you, but you can still feel it passing. When you do look up, he’s beside you, grinning and watching it with the intensity of a flame, his own eyes darting across the different moments as he takes them in._

_“ **It’s so mundane.** ” He whispers, hands hovering above it like he wants to touch it. “ **So…useless. Insignificant, imperfect, flawed, weak.** ” His voice is low, but there's a fervor to it that sends a chill down your spine. He sounds drunk, and you know he probably is, on power and opportunities and ‘what ifs’ that could drive him into madness, if he hasn’t reached it already._

_“ **I love it. It’s…perfect.** ” He says._

_“ **I know.** ” You reply, and hide the way your heart tugs, wishing for him to one day say that about you._

-

In the darkness, three figures stood, illuminated only by the faint glow of a large machine that took up most of the room. One, the shortest, stood to the side, arms crossed and lips pressed tightly together while the other two talked. It seemed, to them, that the entire world was dead asides from those three there.

“When will it be ready?” The tallest asked, eyes narrowed and tone sharp. It was the third time the question had been asked, and it got more demanding each time. The third, the one beside the machine, merely pressed a few more buttons and shrugged, for the question was unanswerable.

“I’ve told you.” The eventual reply was said slowly, as though the speaker was bored to death, or perhaps just sad. “I don’t know.”  
The tallest’s hands formed into fists, but no rebuttal or criticism was made, for that would just waste words. The scientist was a slow worker, tired and trying only for a man long dead, and ignored everything but the things tied to him. It was a sad, sad sight to behold.

So the three stood a while longer, two waiting in the suffocating darkness of the too-small room, the third slaving over a machine that filled the silence with a low hum and occasional tick. Time was lost in that small room, and a spell settled over it as time melted away, until eventually the scientist stood with a small cough, stepping back from the machine and it’s bright blue glow.  
Neither of the others needed to ask to know it was done, but the words still rang clear into the silence, an announcement of their achievements, a final closure for their years-long quest.

“It’s done.” As soon as the words left eager lips, a small rumble started up. Then, behind the machine, a brighter, bluer light began to stir. Time seemed to stop, and the three watched in silence as the light flourished, turning and twisting to form a spinning circle, and as it did the rumbling became louder and louder until it was a roar. And then, when it seemed the light could grow no more, and the noise bordered on defeaning, it stopped, leaving behind only the spinning light they all understood as a portal. The portal.

And the scientist fell. Sobs of pain and joy at the sight filled the air, the most emotion they’d seen or felt for what felt like an eternity. And the shortest sneered, and the tallest grinned, for this was where the game became theirs. They wasted no time in moving towards the sobbing heap on the floor, the tallest’ hands reaching out to grasp at the shoulders of a labcoat long outgrown. The scientist turned, looking up at the two of them, the tearful joy in his bright blue eyes slowly turning to fear.

The tallest's grin turned to a smirk, the hand on his shoulder tightening considerably as another hand passed over the scientist's eyes, turning his world to darkness.

"Sleep tight, spaceman." was the last thing he heard. And sleep he did.


	2. Chapter 1 - Lalna

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Proofread by the lovely Geoliae on tumblr!
> 
> -Important thing to note: Hat Films don't look like either their Minecraft personas or their actual selves. There are reasons for this. But for this fic, they basically look like this:
> 
> https://40.media.tumblr.com/bceb1ad952030e01917a34d0ebdb8b4a/tumblr_nqcrroRyva1snfckwo1_1280.png (excuse the messiness!)
> 
> Warnings:  
> Slight unreality at the start!
> 
> If this fic has your attention, and you'd like to post about/follow it, I track the tag 'omtfw fic' and post updates there. Updates will be posted from my main blog, pxrvis, where you can feel free to ask any questions!

The ground flying by beneath him. Brown eyes and scarred skin, an odd sight to behold. Science and magic. Witches and wizards, an old friend turned enemy, an old enemy turned friend. The loss of everything but the ground beneath him and the sky above. Mourning, a loss, and a failure.

Lalna jolted upward, eyes flying open as he struggled to catch his breath. The room before him swam, and it was only after a few moments of gasping that his vision cleared. He stared blankly at his surroundings, too surprised to register anything than a dull shock. He had _no_ idea where he was. Of course, he knew he was in a room. A bedroom, by the looks of things, but the problem was that it wasn’t his. It looked like it could be his - posters of sci-fi films covered the walls, a half-finished science project sat in the far corner, and a purple-stained lab coat hung on the open wardrobe door. In fact, it looked almost exactly like his own. But the wall color was wrong, the floor was carpet instead of wooden, and when he looked out of the window he didn’t see plains of grass, he saw the brick wall of another house.

His head hurt. He tried to think his way around the situation, but his brain refused to work. So instead, he sat in a bed that wasn’t his, in a room that wasn’t his, and waited for something to happen. Thankfully, he didn’t have to wait very long, because moments later the bedroom door was pushed open.

“Toby!” The woman that entered the room was tall, middle-aged, very motherly looking, and calling a name that wasn’t his. She took one look at him, and her stern features melted into a look of shock. Time seemed to stand still as the two of them looked at each other, both as confused as the other, until eventually the shock on the woman’s face turned to an expression of…Pleasant surprise.

“Oh, you’re up. Sorry, dear. Breakfast is on the table, Lalna, don’t forget to eat. Again. You know we worry about you. See you when I get home, love!” She said quickly, acting like the boy on the bed was her son, and Lalna barely had time to blink before she was gone. And he was even more confused than before. He didn’t know that woman. Why was she treating him like…

Like…

Lalna blinked once, then twice, and in one rush of emotion all of the panic and tension left him. Of course she’d treat him like her son- that was his mother, just like this was his room. Right now, he was sat in his house. Everything was fine. On his desk, he caught sight of an unlabeled bottle of pills. He picked them up, inspecting them, and a vague memory of last night came back to him. Sips had asked him to test them for him, and of course he had, because the bastard had a charming best friend who’d threatened to kill him if he didn’t. Apparently, they caused amnesia and hallucinations. No surprises there.

With a groan, he hefted himself out of the bed, taking another look around the room. He wasn’t quite sure why he thought the room wasn’t his, actually.

But that was behind him now, and he’d yell at Sips and Sjin for making him test them later. Right now he needed to get ready for school. It was the first day back after an extra long summer, and since it was his last year there, he was determined to at least somewhat make an effort.

-

“Welcome back, students, to another year at Ocean Skies high. We, as a school, would like to apologize for the fire that set your learning back a week. It was an isolated incident out of our control…”

In the stuffy hall, Lalna let the slow voice of the school’s Headmistress fade into the background. He’d been in school for barely even half an hour, and he was already itching to leave. The fact that the ‘welcome back to hell blah blah’ speech never, ever changed didn’t help, and because they’d stuck one thousand students stuck into a hall that wasn’t really big enough the heat was stifling. He had a million places he would rather be than here, but at least it was better than actual lessons.

Finally, after nearly an hour of droning, the screen behind the head lowered and the words 'Ocean Skies Leadership Team’ became visible. Lalna felt the entirety of the year straighten up, himself included, because they’d finally reached the interesting part. The school’s leadership team was picked made up of the very best students from the Year 11 group, and it was finally their turn. Apparently, getting picked meant things like being given free food at meetings and being put in charge of important events, and of course almost everyone wanted to be a part of something like that. Lalna knew he had no chance himself, but a few of his friends certainly did, so he listened closely the the names and prayed to hear her call up Nano.

The first few were people Lalna didn’t know, and with each one he could feel the atmosphere within the room dampen. But as she read out the seventh, he smiled and let out a breath he didn’t know he’d been holding.

“Zoeya Proasheck!”

Everyone’s heads turned as the readhead flew out of her seat with an excited 'Yes!’. Lalna felt an odd feeling of pride, watching her walk up to the stage to recieve her badge. He didn’t really know Zoey, but they’d worked on science projects together in the past, and he knew she’d been working really hard to get on the team. Apparently it had paid off, and not even being watched by the entire school as she walked back to her seat was enough the chase away the huge grin that lit up her face. The headteacher called another name, but he missed it, instead catching Zoey’s eyes as she walked past and he mouthing a 'congrats’. She laughed quietly and mouthed 'thanks’, then looked behind her, her eyes lighting up as she noticed who was on the stage behind her.

He glanced over as well, following her line of sight, and was met with the sight of a very excited Nano looking right at him. He had to stop himself from jumping up out of his seat with happiness for his friend, instead giving her two really enthusiastic thumbs up and an overjoyed grin. She laughed, barely audible above the applause, and even dared to bow before skipping off the stage and back to her seat.

A few more names were called, and he cheered extra loud when Lomadia went up, but soon after the ceremony died down and the assembly finished. Since he and Nano were in their last year, they had the blessing of a free period, one he’d make sure to spend congratulating her every second he got.

–

Half an hour later, the two of them were stood in the hallway, chatting idly. Suddenly, Nano froze up at the sight of something behind him, and slowly she leaned in closer to him.

“Fuck. Hatpricks, nine o’ clock.” She muttered in a tone that probably meant 'Don’t look, Lalna, please God don’t look’. Thankfully, he was very good at ignoring instructions, so instead of pretending he didn’t know they were there he turned and stared right at them. The group of three stared right back, grinning like sharks as they slowly advanced. Behind him, Nano groaned.

“Hello, chums.” The shortest, Trott, wasted no time in starting the hellish conversation that was about to take place. “Don’t look so tense, we’re only here to say congratulations!”

Neither of then listened, the 'reassurance’ only serving to make them feel even more on edge than before. Apparently, they noticed, because a small laugh passed through the three of them. Lalna instinctively held out a hand to hold Nano back. He knew what happened next if he didn’t; she’d launch forward, punch the closest one in the eye, and get suspended for a week. Again.

“We’re fine, thanks.” He answers shortly, mustering up a weak smile that wouldn'tve fooled even the most gullible of people. “So if you could just…Leave, that would be great.” He gave them a thumbs up with his free hand, ignoring the looks that they gave each other and then him. “Thanks.”

Smithy laughed, a short, sharp noise that sounded more like a bark, and stepped forward. “Now, why would we do that? We just wanted to tell Nano how proud of her we are! And maybe, you know, ask a few questions…” He trailed off, and Lalna winced, waiting for the punchline to their joke that never failed to arrive.

Just like he expected, Ross popped up beside him, grinning wolfishly. “How many teachers did you sleep with to get it? Just wondering, love, don’t take any offense.” He said in a tone that suggested that, actually, he definitely wanted her to take offense. Lalna’d come to expect nothing less from them, and he sighed, hoping Nano would do the same and just ignore it. But not a moment later she rose to the bait, throwing herself forward against his arm, spitting curses at the trio as they grinned darkly back.

“Fucking- dickheads!” She swore, words echoing in the silence of the hall. “Go back to the rock you crawled out under from and bang, or whatever it is you twats do!”

To her credit, Nano managed to keep eye contact with Smithy, even when the three burst into a chorus of laughter and Lalna started to tug her back. Behind them, Ross piped up once more, the cruelty in his voice now ringing clear.

“Hey, Lal! Keep your dog on a better leash next time, yeah?”

Nano tensed again, like she was about to yank herself out of his grip, so in one quick movement, he pulled them into another corridor. He kept walking with her until they were safely out of sight and hearing range, and he silently thanked the fact that Hat Films always refused to chase after their pray.

Beside him, Nano was almost vibrating with rage, but there was a telltale wetness on her cheeks that made his stomach turn. He hesitated, unsure of what to say to her.

“Nano, ignore them, they’re idiots and-” He’d barely started speaking when she cut him off.

“I worked so hard for this, Lal! I deserve this, I…” She trailed off, her eyes falling to the ground. Beside him, Lalna could feel her anger simmer down and then fade, the intensity in her eyes going from a flame to a flicker in seconds.

“Yeah.” She said after a moment, hand falling to her side as she straightened up. “You’re right. They’re just idiots.”

She smiled at him, and he returned it, their moment of forced reassurance framed by the sound of the bell for lunch going off. Nano looked up, expression changing as she did, and when she glanced back Lalna her smile had become real.

“Food time!” She declared, suddebly pushing him back into the corridor that lead to the canteen. “They’re serving pizza today, you know what that means.”

“I won’t spend tonight throwing up?” He nudged her, laughing, the atmosphere between them normal again.

“That’s right!” She returned the laugh, a light noise that made him feel like things were going to be okay again.

–

His first day at school, he decided later that day, had gone quite well. Besides the 'hatfuck incident’, as he and Nano had decided to call it, it’d just been a normal day of reuiniting with friends and congratulating the new leadership team members. There hadn’t been that much learning at all, and that was exactly how he liked it.

He was pulled out of his thoughts by the sound of his phone going off. The screen was illuminated by a text, and he looked over without picking it up. The message was short and from an unknown number, and he frowned, curiosity finally prompting to pick up the phone once the screen went dark.

 **-unknown**  
>Say nothing, scientist.

He blinked, peering at the message as he tried to figure out what it meant. But a moment later, it was gone, the pixels on his phone whiting out before returning to the home screen. Upon checking his messages, he found nothing, the most recent text one from Nano telling him to 'get his butt to school!!!’.

So someone from school had learned a new trick, he decided with a shrug. Probably Smithy. The bastard always was a fan of the creepypasta vibe. He was tired, and because of that, everything seemed a lot more unsettling. So with a sigh, he heaved himself off the sofa and up the stairs, making his way through the empty house to his room. The door was slightly ajar, and though he was sure there wasn’t anything there, he took a moment to peek inside.

Everything was normal. The bed was still unmade, the open pill bottle was still on the cabinet, and there was no shadowy figure looming over him. He pushed the door open, almost relieved when nothing jumped out at him. Tiredness now tugged at every step he made, and Lalna was all too glad to fall into bed. He took one more look around before his eyes slipped shut.

Everything was fine. Posters of sci-fi films still covered the walls, a half-finished science project sat untouched in the far corner, and there was no stained lab coat hanging on the closed wardrobe door.

That night, Lalna dreams were faded and vague. Battles and betrayal. A new world, a land of monsters and magic and a fued that threatened his home and more. He dreamed of a life beyond his own, and when he awoke, he didn’t remember a thing beyond an odd feeling of misplacement. And, with time, even that faded once he was with his friends.

–

_Above everything, above the world and the people in it, he sits with you. The white and grey clouds serve as your seats, the deep blue skies your backdrop. It’s a truly serene sight._

_The light has begun to fade by now, and you tip your head back, observing the stars that were slowly revealing themselves, motions free with all the innocence of a child. You have time, you remind yourself. Time until everything goes to shit, and if nothing goes wrong then that could be forever. But one glance to the side, at his eyes, now darkened with fury, tells you that nothing good lasts forever._

_His hands turn against each other, and he glares down at the ground far beneath you. It won’t be long until he starts ranting, and then it’ll be all you hear for at least an hour. You don’t mind, though. You could listen to his voice for an eternity._

_“ **He lied to us.** ” His voice is a low growl, summing the entire situation in one neat four-word sentence. It’s all he says for a long while, and you wait, never once taking your eyes off him._

_“ **He told us there would be no risk of…this. This abnormality. And I was not prepared!** ” His voice reaches a crescendo and he rises without effort, his anger causing a bright orange to erupt from his finger tips. You suppose you should be scared, but there’s nothing but admiration for him in your heart. Even now, with him towering above you and raw energy sparking from his hands, all you can think about is how amazing he looks._

_“ **Everything could be ruined and it will be all his fault. He is a- a flaw! This wasn’t supposed to happen!** ” The fury tempers for a moment, and he falls gracefully back to the clouds, the orange energy dissipating as the exhaustion it caused catches up with him. You would reply, reassure him in some way, but you still value your life. Even though you’re sure he would never hurt you purposefully, his anger may get the best of him, and you couldn’t put him through the pain he’d experience if he accidentally killed you._

_“ **Everything is limited. I could have all the power in the world, and it would still run out. And this…has tired me. I don’t have the energy to fix this.** ” He sighs heavily and runs a hand through his hair. “ **There is nothing we can do.** ”_

_It isn’t the explosive end you expected, but suddenly the shadows under his eyes seem more apparent, and all at once you understand just what he means by tired._

_“ **You need to rest. For however long you need.** ” You say after a moment, voice soft in the silence. “ **Then- we can deal with this. Together.** ” The last word is more of a suggestion than an affirmation, but the meaning still gets across to him, and his eyes slowly close._

_“ **Then you can go back to rewriting time whenever you want.** ” You whisper. He laughs, just a little, and the joke that only you and he understood becomes so much more precious. Then he falls backward, the clouds forming a bed, and rests._

_After a moment, you join him, your own mortal body yearning for sleep. You would surely wake before him, and then there would be a lot of waiting, but you didn’t mind._

_After all, when he joined you…Well, that would be when the real fun began._


	3. Chapter 2a - Zoey

Being picked for the Leadership Team was probably one of the proudest moments of Zoey’s life. Of course, she had a lot of proud moments, but this one was special. Because it’d been one she’d worked really, really hard for, and as a result she was far from afraid of the responsibilities it would give her. But she hadn’t really expected them to be so…Well, sudden.

 

She’d been in school for less than a minute when one of the teachers informed her that she had to make her way to the main offices immediately. When she asked why, all she got was a shrug and a brief ‘leadership things’.  

 

Which was cool with her, of course. She didn’t really do anything at school in the mornings. Outside the doors to the office, she spotted Nano and Lomadia talking. She was just about to announce her arrival, her arms thrown into the air, when the door opened and the two of them slipped inside. She rolled her eyes and followed after them, and realized just exactly where she was.

 

The head’s office. Scariest place in the building. If she was a lesser woman, she probably would’ve cried. Thankfully, she wasn’t, so her eyes stayed dry and her smile cheerful even as she stared into the eyes of a woman that could, and probably would if she wanted to, expel her and ruin her life.

 

“Girls.” Her voice was calm, tone crisp, drawing their attention to her with a single word. “I’ve a very busy schedule, so I won’t be with you long, and I must make this short. You three are the most creative students at this school, and as a result you will be in charge of the Winter Ball.”

 

There was a silence as she and the other two processed the information. Zoey’s smile split into a grin, and she fought down the urge to jump up and yell her thanks a few hundred times (she had a feeling that wouldn’t go down too well with the intimidating teacher), but what she did do was salute and say “We won’t let you down, miss!”. Because she wholeheartedly believed they wouldn’t. with Nano’s organizational skills, Lomadia’s eye for aesthetics, and Zoey’s innate ability to make anything and everything fun, there was no way it could go wrong.

 

But something was wrong. The smile she received in turn for her enthusiastic was brief and little, and Zoey let her hand fall to her side, her own grin faltering just a little. The head spoke up again, eyes straying from the three girls in front of her to the slightly-open door to her office.

 

“I’m sure you will, girls. But there is one more thing you should know.” She said, sighing just slightly. “As I’m sure you’re aware, we here at Ocean Skies have a few…rogue students, as we like to call them. And one of these rogue students will also be helping in an attempt to raise his ability to focus.” She nodded to the door. “This student will be-”

 

Said door swung open, and in strolled none other than Sips, an easy grin on his face and hands tucked messily into his pockets. Zoey’s smile fell completely, and she struggled to regain it, desperately trying not to look rude. This was Sips, after all, and saying or doing the wrong thing meant maybe getting her head kicked in later.

 

“What’s up, jokers? That’s right, you heard it- Sipsy is in the house!” His intro was loud, charming, and just sinister enough to send a spiral of dread down Zoey’s spine. The teen snorted at their expressions, clearly unsurprised at their lack of enthusiasm. He was undoubtedly aware of his reputation, and that knowledge made him confident to the point of cockiness, a cockiness that came through in the way he moved. He swaggered instead of walked, and rather than shying away from the Head’s steely gaze he moved effortlessly to her desk and leaned against it, his smile still resembling the predatory look of a cat that had just seen a very tasty meal. She wasn't sure how he'd managed that, and she didn't really want to find out, either.

 

“Heeey, Miss C!” Sips laughed and held his hand up for a high five like he actually expected her to return it before letting it fall with a shrug. Inwardly, Zoey winced at how informally he addressed her, knowing full well that if he were anybody but Sips himself that attitude would’ve gotten him kicked out in five minutes flat. But being the son of the mayor clearly had it’s perks, like avoiding responsibility and being allowed to deal weed behind the bike sheds while the teachers pretended they didn’t see him.

 

To her credit, the Head didn't respond, instead turning back to them. Her smile was clearly more forced than before, and when she spoke her words had an edge that warned of a restrained anger that threatened to make an appearance if one more word came out of Sips' mouth. Which it invariably would.

 

"All the other information, such as dates and meetings, has been e-mailed to you. You have a while, and you are allowed to involve other students, but this is your responsibility." She glanced at Sips as she spoke, and Zoey knew she wasn't just talking about the ball. "This is a big challenge, but you all have the skills to make it something to remember. Now, I have a meeting to get to, but before go, do any of you have some questions? ...Or complaints?"

 

In it's wake, the question left only silence. Zoey glanced at the teacher, then at the pale teen still leaning against her desk, wondering vaguely if she should speak up. She was, after all, feeling very, very threatened. But the look in his eyes when she boldly met them with her own told her all she needed to know. So rather than complain she just shook her head along with Nano and Lomadia and prayed for her safety.

 

The head made a quiet noise after another few moments, her eyes turning down to the paper on her desk, then waved them away with a "Dismissed.". Nobody said anything more, but before the solid wooden door closed behind them, Zoey swore she heard a sigh. And judging by the way his lips quirked into a smile, Sips had heard it too.

-

"Alright, busters. Line up, you heard the Missus! I'm taking over this joint. Now, let's get to work!"

 

It took, according to Zoey's watch, just under three minutes for the pale teen to start shouting. She fell into step beside Nano and Lomadia, trying her hardest to at least ignore him. Nano offerred her a small, tired smile, but neither of them said anything or did anything else, and Zoey felt her already-dwindling happiness shrink just a little more. Already, the coming weeks seemed longer than ever; not only did she have exams to worry about, something she'd been so excited about now felt...Tainted. Nano and Lomadia were already really good friends, after all. Maybe they didn't even want her there. And the entire thing had already been jeapordized by the presence of the biggest asshole in the school.

 

And said asshole was, of course, intent on living up to his title. Barging through them, he pushed apart the trio and blocked their path, forcing them to come to a stop. Apparently he hadn't expected to be ignored, and judging by the way his arms were folded with clenched fists, he was holding back from throwing a tantrum. Which didn't really surprise her.

 

"What are you, deaf?" He grunted. "Work with me here, ladies-"

 

"Piss off, Sips." Without missing a beat, Lomadia breezed past him, throwing a glare over her shoulder. Nano sniffed, her own stare making even Zoey feel small despite being a foot taller than her, and quickly followed. Sips blinked, then turned, mouth working slowly as he tried and failed to form a good comeback. Zoey almost felt bad for him. But as she dared to open her mouth and maybe even offer a sorry, his cruel eyes refocused on her with a glare unlike any she'd ever seen before.

 

"What, you too?" He spat, moving a step forward. Zoey swallowed and shrank back, instinctively trying to make herself smaller. Sips snorted, the glare turning to a twisted smirk. "Well, fuck you guys!"

With one hand, he shoved her to the side and stormed down the hallway, leaving her with a hurting arm and an odd feeling of guilt.

 

Already, she could feel her emotions threatening to overwhelm her. Grateful at least for the wall behind her, she bit her lip and pressed her back against it, trying to collect herself just enough to force a smile. But the world kept spinning around her, and it wasn't until Nano and Lomadia reached her side with faces alight with worry that she realized she was just barely biting back sobs.

 

"Zoey." Lomadia's voice was gentle, a welcome contrast to the roaring that had started up in her head. "He's an idiot. Forget him." She pressed a tissue into her palm, and Zoey stuttered a 'Thanks', quickly reaching up to dab at her wet cheeks. Nano said nothing, but after a moment she offered her open arms in a hug that Zoey was happy to accept. She smelt of rain and cinnamon, and already the teen felt her worries slowly start to subside. They did need her. She'd been picked for this. And Nano and Lomadia definitely cared. Everything was fine.

 

She pulled away with a forced smile, one that became genuine within moments when Nano nodded her satisfaction then turned and tripped straight into Lomadia. She hated laughing at other people, but the other two were giggling, so for once she let herself join in. The three of them stayed like that for a few minutes, laughing quietly, until eventually Lomadia pulled them forward towards the hall.

 

"Work, ladies." She said seriously, lips twitching with a forced-back smile. Nano saluted and responded with, "Yes ma'am!" and Zoey laughed again, quietly, the tears in her eyes fading completely. Then they pushed open the hall doors, the blank slate laid bare before them. And in the back of her mind, Zoey's excitement began to bubble up once more, filling her with a comforting warmth.

 

Sips might turn out to be a problem, but so what? At least she had friends by her side.

 

-

 

A week and six meetings later, Zoey's confidence hadn't dwindled a bit. She'd bately seen Sips since their confrontation, only in glimpses down corridors and at the outside her gates, and all those times she'd generally turned on her heels and ran just in case he spotted her and decided she'd become his new punching bag. She, Lomadia and Nano had come up with the theme and a few plans for the ball; a crystalline palace, adorned with with flowers of all colours, along with the fanciest food they could get with the budget they'd been given - which was shockingly small, if she was being honest with herself. Suddenly, the terrible parties from the past few years made a lot more sense. But this year would be different.

 

They needed to paint the hall white, which seemed simple enough, until they'd totalled up the paint cost and realized that just one wall would take up most of the money had. And that unfortunate fact was how Zoey ended up stood beside Sjin's locker, her pride safely locked away deep inside her. His family ran a DIY store, apparently, and she'd been lumped with the task of asking (begging) him to lend (give) them some paint.  She could only hope that Sips wouldn't be with him.

 

Of course, hoping was useless against the fact that Sjin and Sips were definitely close friends, and her stomach dropped at the unforgettable sight of Sips' hulking mass turning the corner alongside the thinner, shorter frame of Sjin. Both of them spotted her at the same time, and judging by the way Sjin's eyes narrowed despite the fact that they'd never spoken before in her life, he'd clearly heard about everything.

 

Great. Just what she needed. Instead of just one bully that hated her guts, she was facing two. But this time, she couldn't run away, even when the pair began to advance very slowly with unmoving glares aimed right at her. She had a job to do. She had a job to do. She-

 

"What do you want?" Sjin's nasally, high voice broke apart her thoughts and she jolted, flushing at the smirks that spread across their faces. He didn't give her time to reply, cutting her words off as he leaned over her. "I don't suppose you're here to say sorry to dear old Sipsy here, are you?" He glanced back at the aforementioned teen, snorting. "I think he deserves it! You hurt him real bad, Zoey."

 

"I haven't stopped crying for days." Sips' voice was dry, emotionless, and somehow that was worse than the fury she'd been expecting the entire time. "So unless you have something really damn important to say..."

 

"We need paint!" She blurted out before she could stop herself, her nerves getting the best of her. "White paint, for the halls, and we thought we could ask you. So here I am! Asking you! Can we have some white paint? We need a lot. For- for free, which is probably not what you wanted to hear, but..." She trailed off, struggling to think of any good reason for why Sjin would actually help. And judging by the unimpressed look on his face, so was he. And when he opened his mouth, she prepared for the worst. Then Sips stepped forward, effectively silencing him. He looked her over twice, expression still unreadable, then turned back to Sjin.

 

"I say we give it to her." He said after a moment. Sjin blinked, his narrow-eyed glare turning to a look of shock, and when he next spoke Zoey could barely hear him.

 

"You sure, Sipsy? Because you said..." His whispers were cut off when Sips nudged him; lightly, but still a clear indicator to stop talking.

 

"What can I say? I'm a nice guy. 'Sides, Sjin, I'm supposed to be working on this shitty project. This is my contribution. Heck, I’ll pay too! Because I’m rich. Lots of money. Yeah."

 

Normally, Zoey would've protested instantly at the idea of someone else buying her something, but the shock of Sips' support still rendered her speechless. That, and they really, really needed the paint. So when the pair looked at her again she could only smile, nod and sputter out a "Thanks!" before her legs finally started working again and she darted away.

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> ;w; this probably isnt going to be finished but uh  
> take what i got! maybe ill finish it someday! haha oops,


End file.
